Liturgy Alive Monday, July 23, 2018

Monday, July 23, 2018

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
in times of anguish and desolation
we sometimes call for signs and miracles
that assure us of your presence.
Forgive us our presumption
and give us a faith strong enough
to recognize you at work in nature,
in the ordinary events of life
and in the goodness and service of people.
We entrust ourselves to you
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the First Reading

God calls the Hebrew people before his court and asks them to justify their conduct. How have they answered his love? The prophet uses a style which the Reproaches (Improperia) of Good Friday imitate.

Introduction to the Gospel

In the gospel the scribes and the Pharisees demand signs. The Hebrews had failed to see the sign of God in the fact that he had quietly led them to freedom and made them into a people. The scribes fail to recognize God in the message and person of Jesus, in his service, loyalty, and love. God is not a God of publicity. His presence is discreet. The sign of Jonas was that the Ninivites believed his preaching; the three days in the belly of the fish as a reference to the three days of Jesus in the tomb may be a later addition.

General Intercessions

- For open minds and hearts, that we may believe in God and see the presence of God's goodness and love in nature and in the good people do, we pray:

- For faith in the gospel and in the person of Jesus when we see how people try to bring his justice and mercy into our world, we pray:

- For gratitude that God has given us the Jewish people as our ancestors and great source of faith, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
we bring this bread and this wine before you
and we ask you:
Give us eyes of faith to believe
that in these bare, simple signs
your Son can make himself present
and give himself to us
as the one who serves and shares.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you have won our love
through your Son Jesus Christ,
who died that we might live.
Through him, give us too
the faith and the quiet strength
to serve with a discreet love.
In this way we can perhaps be
the sign of your presence among people.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

God asks us why we don't see the signs of his presence and work among us. If only we had enough faith! May God open our eyes and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.